Oscar Piastri takes a first look at his season

The second season ofOscar piastri en Formula 1 is coming to an end. With his first two victories and 194 more points than his rookie year, the Australian ranks fourth in the Drivers' Championship (ahead of Abu Dhabi) and helps McLaren to appear in first place in the temporary Constructors' Championship standings. « I think compared to my first season in F1 it has been better, because I know what to expect. » the young pilot advances humbly.

He goes up for the first time on the highest step of the podium at the Hungarian Grand Prix, starting from second on the grid before surprising Lando Norris, the poleman, at the first braking point, taking back the lead of the race. Despite a team strategy that initially gave the advantage to his English counterpart, the wind turned in favour of the Melbourne native a few laps before the finish when his teammate finally gave him back the first position. A feat repeated on the occasion of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix where the Australian is ahead Charles Leclerc which he brilliantly overtook by diving inside at the first bend on the twentieth lap.

Piastri, constancy

Oscar Piastri doesn't let anything go: " There are a few races early in the season and a few more recent ones that didn't go as well as I would have liked." laments the 2023 rookie as his worst race result comes in Miami where he crosses the line in sixth position. His results have been consistent, in one of the best performing cars on the grid since mid-season, but that is not enough for him: “I also think as a team there were a few races throughout the year that we would have liked to have executed a little bit better.”

"I think, especially in qualifying, I made life too difficult for myself this year" adds the McLaren driver, even if he welcomes an improvement compared to the previous season: "Last year, in many races, I wouldn't have had the tools to come back. Whereas this year, I feel like I have the means. On a personal level, it's a good improvement. But yes, there is still room for improvement."

End of tiring season

According to Piastri, the sequence of races and the density of the 2024 calendar are significant constraints: “Showing up on Tuesday or Wednesday, building the car, making sure it’s at the best possible level. For us it’s tough, but for our teams it’s even tougher with these long seasons and the amount of travel they do, the time they spend away from their families (…) trying to do 24 races with people who have families, it doesn’t really make sense anymore.”

The Australian maintains his concern over the "repercussions" of this extended agenda while "giving credit to F1 and the FIA" who are trying to “to streamline and improve things.” He shows his attachment to his team to which he owes part of his performances: “ Many of our concerns are with our teams, which are much broader than just ourselves [the drivers]. »

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